Hernia controlling truss



p 8, 1964 G. c. WELTER 3,147,751

HERNIA CONTROLLING TRUSS Filed March 4, 1963 INVENTOR. GROVEE C. WEL TE ATTORNEY United States Patent My invention relates to trusses, and more particularly to a truss that is provided with a hernia controlling pad. It is a purpose of my invention to provide a truss with a pad that closes the opening in the inguinal canal, that is provided with a recessed or hollowed out central portion surrounded by a raised marginal rib, which forms a controlling seal and provides a pocket in the pad, which retains the rupture in comfort, the controlling outer seal giving added protection by con-fining the rupture within the somewhat elongated approximately oval pocket pro vided in the pad.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a pad of the above referred to character, that is soft and yet sufiiciently resilient to retain the rupture and which has a substantially flat face on the pad where it presses against the rupture, avoiding any bulging or projecting portions that cause discomfort. In order to accomplish this purpose my improved pad comprises a flat body portion of sponge rubber that is preferably of an elongated approximately oval character and a rib portion of sponge rubber extending around the body portion at its marginal edge to form a rim around a pocket or recess defined by said rib portion, which pocket has a substantially flat bottom wall, said body portion and associated rib being provided with a covering of a fabric that is of such a character that air will readily pass therethrough, but which is strong and washable. The rib formed on the pad serves to keep the rupture from slipping outside the area of the fiat bottom wall of the pocket formed in the pad thereby.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a truss that is light in weight and which comprises a body encircling belt that will rest comfortably on the hips and keep the above referred to pad in proper position. To accomplish this purpose, the main body portion of the belt is made of surgical elastic fabric that expands and contracts with the movements of the body of the wearer, the pad being mounted on a fabric mounting member secured permanently to one end of said elastic belt body portion and an adjusting strap being provided between the other end of said elastic belt body portion and said pad mounting member for adjusting the truss to the body of the wearer.

The pad may be described as resembling the cupped human hand on the side thereof toward the body of the wearer. In order that the pad will provide the desired retaining effect, a stay is provided on the mounting member back of the pad, which stay extends lengthwise of the pad approximately bisecting it lengthwise, reinforcing the sponge rubber pad. Cooperating with the belt is an inelastic leg strap extending from said pad mounting member in alignment with said stay and secured adjustably to the rear portion of the belt at a point forward from the middle of said back portion on the side of said belt having the pad mounted thereon. The forward portion of the leg strap is preferably provided with a facing of ventilated sponge rubber fabric.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood,- however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described except as defined by the claims.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend 3,147,751 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 to limit myself to the particular details shown or described except as defined by the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of my improved truss.

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a face view of the pad, showing fragmentary portions of the leg strap and belt.

FIG. 4 is a face view of the sponge rubber cushioning member used in the pad, as viewed from the ribbed side thereof, prior to assembly in the pad.

FIG. 5 is a face view of the flat side of the sponge rubber cushioning member before assembly in the pad, and FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved truss is provided with a belt having a main body portion 10 of surgical elastic fabric, to one end of which is secured a fabric pad mounting member 11. The pad mounting member 11 is secured to the one end of the body portion 10 of the belt by a row of stitches 12 and by means of one of the plurality of rows of stitches 13 that secure a piece of webbing 14 in position on the pad mounting member 11, said webbing 14 forming a pocket for a stay 15. The other row of stitching 13 is used for securing a short strap portion 16 provided with a buckle 17 to the pad mounting member 11. The buckle is adapted to be engaged adjustably with a strap 18, which is secured to the main elastic portion 10 of the belt by a row of stitches 19. The strap portions 16 and 18 are preferably made of inelastic webbing. It will accordingly be seen that the belt can be adjusted in length by means of the buckle 17 and strap 18 to closely encircle the body of the wearer, it being desirable to adjust the belt so that the elastic portion 10 will be slightly stretched to cause the belt to closely engage with the body.

The webbing 14 is extended beyond the lower end portion of the pad mounting member and continues as a leg strap 20, which is adapted to be adjustably connected with the main elastic body portion of the belt 10 by means of a buckle 21 mounted on a tab 22 secured in fixed position to the rear portion of the elastic body portion 10 of the belt. Said tab is preferably mounted to one side of the middle of the back portion of the belt toward the end thereof on which the pad mounting member 11 is located.

The pad mounting member 11 is preferably of substantially an oval character and preferably has a similarly shaped pad mounted thereon. flat faced main sponge rubber body portion 23, which is of uniform thickness and is of an elongated somewhat oval character, having a convexly curved upper marginal edge 24 and a similar, but somewhat more sharply curved lower convexly curved marginal edge 25, said marginal edges being connected by means of a convexly curved marginal edge 26, which has a much greater radius of curvature than the upper and lower convex marginal edges 24 and 25. The other side edge 27 connecting the convex end edges 24 and 25 is preferably straight.

' Assembled with the main sponge rubber body portion 23 of the pad is a continuous rib member 28, which is also made of sponge rubber. It is also provided with outer convexly curved upper and lower outer marginal edges 29 and 30 corresponding in curvature to the marginal edges 24 and 25 and substantially aligning therewith, and with an outer convexly curved marginal side edge 31, which is of the same curvature as the side edge 26 and is preferably aligned substantially therewith, and a straight outer marginal side edge 32, which aligns substantially with the straight marginal outer side edge 27 of the main body portion 23. The rib member 28 has inner concavely curved upper and lower marginal edge portions 33 and 34 spaced from the outer marginal edge portions 29 and 30 and an inner concavely curved marginal edge The pad is made up of a portion 35 spaced from the outer convexly curved edge portion 31 and a straight side edge portion 36 connecting these concavely curved edge portions 33 and 34 and spaced from the straight outer side edge32. It will be noted that when the rib member 28 is mounted on the one flat face of the body portion 23 a somewhat elongated, approximately oval recess or pocket 37 having a flat bottom Wall 38 is formed by the members 23 and 28, said rib member forming a peripheral raised rim of the pocket.

In order to hold the sponge rubber pad portions 23 and 28 in position and complete the pad, fabric covering plies 39 and 40 are provided for the pad, the covering ply 39, which engages with the body, being preferably made of a fabric that allows cooling air to pass therethrough, but which is washable and strong and resistant to soil. The fabric ply 39 is secured to the sponge rubber members 23 and 28 by rows of stitching 41 that extend along the inside marginal edge of the member 28, securing the plies 39 and 40 to the sponge rubber pad portion 23, and by rows of stitching 42 that secure said plies of fabric 39 and 40 to each other adjacent the outer marginal edge of the sponge rubber body portion 23. The ply 39 is drawn tight over the rib member 28, the stitches 41 and the tension on the fabric 39 slightly distorting the rib 28 so as to somewhat round off the top thereof, as shown at 43 in FIG. 2. Also the stitching 41 somewhat compresses the sponge rubber of the member 23, where the rows of stitching 41 are located, causing a very slight curvature out of flat condition of the surface of the main body portion 23 of the pad that is provided with the fabric ply 39. Also it will be noted that due to the pressure exerted on the rib 28 by the ply 39 and the stitching 41 on the main body portion 23, the main body portion 23 of the pad and the rib 28 are in face to face engagement on a slightly curved line 44, instead of a straight line, as was the case before the fabric plies were applied.

The stitching 42 also secures a binding strip 45 around the margin of the pad at the marginal edges of the plies 39 and 40 and secures the pad to the pad mounting member 11. The pad mounting member is also provided with a binding strip 46, which is secured thereto by stitching 47, said binding strip extending along the leg strap 20 and securing a perforated sponge rubber fabric facing 48 to the forward portion of the leg strap 20 where it would engage with the body of the wearer. It will be noted that the stay 14 extends lengthwise substantially centrally of the pad and thus bisects the same longitudinally.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that when the pad is completely assembled the same comprises a somewhat rounding fabric covered rib, which is indicated by the numeral 28' in FIG. 3 to distinguish from the rib 28 of the foam rubber cushioning member, which rib 28' has an outer convex marginal edge 49 at the upper end thereof, a much more sharply curved lower outer convex marginal end edge 50, an outer convely curved side edge 51 connecting said marginal end edges 49 and 50 and a substantially straight marginal side edge 52, also connecting said end edges 49 and 50. Said rib also has an inner upper marginal concave end edge 53 and a very sharply curved lower concave end edge 54, as the concavely curved inner side edge 55 and a substantially straight inner side edge 56 closely approach each other at the lower end of the pad. Thus a somewhat elongated approximately oval recess or pocket 57 is provided within the confines of the rib 28', which has a substantially flat l. In a truss, an elastic belt having adjustable means connecting the ends thereof in body encircling position,

a fabric pad mounting member secured to said belt at one end thereof and a pad having a flat faced foam rubber body portion mounted flatly face to face on said mounting member, said pad body portion having convexly curved top and bottom marginal edges, a substantially straight marginal side edge extending between said top and bottom edges and a convexly curved marginal side edge opposite said substantially straight side edge and extending between said top and bottom edges, said side edges converging toward said bottom edge to provide an elongated approximately oval body portion, a marginal foam rubber rib on the flat face of said body portion remote from said mounting member, said rib having outer marginal edges substantially in alignment with the marginal edges of said body portion, concavely curved inner marginal edges spaced from said outer marginal edges at the top and bottom ends of said pad, a substantially straight inner marginal side edge spaced from said outer marginal edge and connecting said concave top and bottom edges and a concavely curved inner marginal side edge opposite said substantially straight edge spaced from said outer marginal edge and connecting said concave top and bottom edges, said inner side edges converging toward said bottom concave edge to define an elongated approximately oval opening within the confines of said rib narrowing toward the bottom end thereof, and a fabric covering over said rib and the portion of the face of said body portion remote from said mounting member lying within the confines of said rib, to provide a soft pad having a continuous soft rib thereon defining a vertically elongated pocket downwardly narrowing in saidpad having a substantially flat faced bottom wall.

2. In a truss, an elastic belt having adjustable means connecting the ends thereof in body encircling position, a fabric pad mounting member secured to said belt at one end thereof and a pad having a flat faced foam rubber body portion mounted flatly face to face on said mounting member, a continuous foam rubber rib on the flat face of said body portion remote from said mounting member, said rib defining a vertically elongated approximately oval downwardly narrowing opening within its confines, a fabric covering over said rib and the portion of the substantially flat face of said body portion remote from said mounting member lying within the confines of said rib, to provide a soft pad having a continuous soft rib thereon defining a vertically elongated downwardly narrowing pocket in said pad having a substantially flat faced bottom wall, a stay mounted on said pad mounting member and extending centrally longitudinally of said pad across the back of said flat faced bottom wall and a leg strap extending from said pad mounting member in alignment with said stay.

3. In a truss, an elastic belt having adjustable means connecting the ends thereof in body encircling position,

a fabric pad mounting member secured to said belt at one end thereof and a pad having a flat faced foam rubber body portion mounted flatly face to face on said mounting member, a continuous foam rubber rib on the flat face of said body portion remote from said mounting member, said rib forming a fla-t bottomed pocket with said body portion, said rib forming a peripheral raised rim for said pocket, fabric covering plies on the opposite sides of said pad, stitching securing said covering plies to said foam rubber body portion and to each other along the inner marginal edge of said rib and securing said coving plies together adjacent the outer marginal edge of said rib to secure said rib in position on said body portion to define a pocket in said pad having a substantially flat faced continuous fabric covered yielding bottom wall and a peripheral yielding fabric covered rim surrounding said bottom wall.

4. In a truss, an elastic belt having adjustable means connecting the ends thereof in body encircling position, a fabric pad mounting member secured to said belt at one end thereof and a pad having a flat faced foam rubber body portion mounted flatly face to face on said mounting member a continuous foam rubber rib on the flat face of said body portion remote from said mounting member, said rib forming a peripheral raised rim on one side of said flat faced body portion, fabric covering plies on the opposite sides of said pad, stitching securing said covering plies to said foam rubber body portion and to each other along the inner marginal edge of said rib and securing said covering plies together adjacent the outer marginal edge of said rib to secure said rib in position on said body portion to define a vertically elongated, downwardly narrowing pocket in said pad having a substantially flat faced continuous fabric covered yielding bottom wall and a peripheral yielding fabric covered rim surrounding said bottom wall, a stay mounted on said pad mounting member in position to extend up and down back 6 of said fiat bottom wall of said pad in bridging relation to the middle of said flat bottom wall and 'a leg strap extending from said pad mounting member substantially in alignment with said stay.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

3. IN A TRUSS, AN ELASTIC BELT HAVING ADJUSTABLE MEANS CONNECTING THE ENDS THEREOF IN BODY ENCIRCLING POSITION, A FABRIC PAD MOUNTING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID BELT AT ONE END THEREOF AND A PAD HAVING A FLAT FACED FOAM RUBBER BODY PORTION MOUNTED FLATLY FACE TO FACE ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER, A CONTINUOUS FOAM RUBBER RIB ON THE FLAT FACE OF SAID BODY PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID MOUNTING MEMBER, SAID RIB FORMING A FLAT BOTTOMED POCKET WITH SAID BODY PORTION, SAID RIB FORMING A PERIPHERAL RAISED RIM FOR SAID POCKET, FABRIC COVERING PLIES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PAD, STITCHING SECURING SAID COVERING PLIES TO SAID FOAM RUBBER BODY PORTION AND TO EACH OTHER ALONG THE INNER MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID RIB AND SECURING SAID COVING PLIES TOGETHER ADJACENT THE OUTER MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID RIB TO SECURE SAID RIB IN POSITION ON SAID BODY PORTION TO DEFINE A POCKET IN SAID PAD HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT FACED CONTINUOUS FABRIC COVERED YIELDING BOTTOM WALL AND A PERIPHERAL YIELDING FABRIC COVERED RIM SURROUNDING SAID BOTTOM WALL. 